Norfolk Southern commits to hiring Ohio businesses for East Palestine cleanup

As cleanup continues on Feb. 25, crews work at the site of the East Palestine, Ohio Norfolk Southern train derailment that released hazardous chemicals into the town's ground and water.
As cleanup continues on Feb. 25, crews work at the site of the East Palestine, Ohio Norfolk Southern train derailment that released hazardous chemicals into the town's ground and water.
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Norfolk Southern Corp. has agreed to exclusively hire Ohio companies and workers to do "all future repair and replacement work" stemming from the East Palestine train derailment, Ohio Attorney Dave Yost has announced.

“We didn’t ask for this accident to happen here in Ohio or in East Palestine, and we would be quite happy not to have to deal with it,” Yost said during a news conference Wednesday in Trumbull County. “But since this accident did happen, I’m pleased that Norfolk Southern has signed off on the agreement and that Ohio businesses are going to benefit.”

The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce will serve as Norfolk Southern's main resource in finding materials and services for the job, according to Yost.

Norfolk Southern's commitment to hire within the state has no bearing on the lawsuit the state of Ohio filed earlier this month against the transportation company, according to Yost.

"Norfolk Southern will be in East Palestine as long as it takes to help the community recover and thrive,” Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw said in a news release distributed by Yost's office. “As we make progress every day, we are continuing our efforts to hire Ohio companies and Ohio workers to perform future work in the East Palestine area. We look forward to supporting local businesses.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in February ordered Norfolk Southern to take "all necessary actions" associated with the cleanup of the Feb. 3 derailment and chemical spill. Five of the cars that jumped the tracks contained vinyl chloride, a highly flammable gas that's been linked to a rare form of liver cancer. State and local officials decided to burn off the carcinogen in order to avoid what they feared would be a larger explosion that could have sent shrapnel into nearby homes.

Federal and state environmental officials continue to oversee the cleanup of the derailment site. According to the Ohio EPA, approximately 9.27 million gallons of liquid wastewater have been hauled out of East Palestine, along with 11,900 tons of excavated soil. As of Wednesday, 23,000 tons of soil have yet to be removed.

The ongoing cleanup, according to Yost, will cost Norfolk Southern millions, and that's money he wants Ohio businesses and workers to benefit from.

“Ohioans are highly capable,” Yost said, “so there’s no reason to look elsewhere.”

Monroe Trombly covers the workplace and environmental issues for The Dispatch.

mtrombly@dispatch.com

@monroetrombly

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Norfolk Southern to hire Ohio companies in East Palestine cleanup